Tire-building apparatus



www?

9 H. R.' GLZN IRE BULDING APPARATUS Filed Dec., 17,

35 1 or drum holding chuck with supporting and @antec ree. ia, raza BY E. GILSON, OF NEW ROCHELLE, NEW YORK, SSIG'NOR T0 REVEBE RUBBER.

COMPANY, A COR1ORATIOISI` OIy RHODE ISLAND.

rma-BUILDING PPARMUS.

Application led December To all whom t may-concern.'

Be it known that HENRY R. GrLsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Rochelle,county of iVestchester, and State 5 :of New York, have invented certain new and to a final curing 'of the tire.

useful Improvements in Tire-Building Apparatus, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to tire building apparatus, and particularly to apparatus for applying tread stock to a carcass preliminary In'applying a tread to the carcass of a tire, it is usual to stitch or unite the ends of a length of the rubber composition stock so as to form an endless band, to-then revolve the carcass" slowly and stretch the'endless band thereonto in a symmetrical position, e. with its center over that-'of the carcass. Subseqluently, the'treads are rolledfnnstitched to t ie carcass withfa hand tool which is usually a form of roller mounted on a shank. The treads of tires vary in thickness with their size, and` in the `larger sizes of pneumatics, i. e., six or more inches, the thickness of the treads renders their hand stitching not merely arduous but ordinarily beyond the capacity of the operative.

The present invention aims primarily to; 'provide' a tread applying mechanism that is simple to operate, that is relatively inexf pensive', and that insures a rm or tenacious union between the tread stock and carcass regardless of the thickness of the former.

The invention also aims to `provide a core actuating mechanism by which the tire may f be rotated in cooperative relation with the tread applying mechanismand -also in any desired plane Where access may be had to the sides of the tire in completing the application ofthe tread'and in performing such related preliminary or finishing operations as l may bedesirable at this stage in the manufacture of the tire without removal and shift of the carcass to another machine.

With the embodiment of thei inventlon il- Y iustrated in the drawings in mind, and without intention to limit thescope of the invention more than is required by theprior art, the apparatus comprises a rotatable annulus holder or chuck which is adapted to be ro! 'tated by power and which is supported on a swivel member coaxial with onedf its actua'ting shafts. The vtread applying appa- 17, 1920. serial no. 431,373.

is illustrated in the accompanying drawings,

Figs. 1 and 2 are plan and side elevations l respectively of the apparatus, part 4of the former figure being broken away and sectioned to more fully disclose the construction.

Fig. 3 is a diagrammatic view showing different positions assumed by the stitching-v roller or tool in applying a tread to a'carcass.

- The core, or drum holding chuck, which may be generically termed an annulus holder is indicated at 1 and is suitably fixed to 4a shaft 2 which is journaled as shown in a member 3 swiveled on a shaft 4 to one side of a bearing or boss 5 at the upper end of a standard or base 6 whih restson the floor. y

The shaft 4 may be driven in any suitable manner, directly by a motor not shown, or indirectly by a belt or chain such as indicated at 7. The shaft 4 is of course free to .y rotate in the bearing 5 at the upper end of l the standard, but between the swiveled 'member 3 and the shaft 4 a liner/ or bushing 8 is preferably interposed. Means are provided to hold the swiveled member 3 in any desirable position, and a convenient structure for this purpose comprises a latch 9 fulcrumed at 10 to a lug llwhich is fixed to the bearing 5,*the latch cooperating with a ser-.

rated member or ratchet 12 which is suitably fixed to the swiveled member 3. Normally the latch 9 gravitates into locking relation /'with the ratchet.

Any suitable mechanism may be employed between the shafts 2 and 4 to rotate the latter from the former such as the bevel gears -indicated at 13. Annulus holder 1 may be of an suitable type having mo y or less radiali/y shiftable arms 14. Withrtx vmentioned construction a tire supported on a core or drum may be rotated by power in any.A position relative to the axis of the shaft 4 in: which it may be held by the latching the'standard lor frame 6 and the swiveled member 3 in which the shaft of theannulus holder of course-rotates.

e above mechanism between the fixed` bearing 5 of frame l5 ot any suitable construction is located toone side of the axis ot the shatt 4- in a. position directly in fronto a .justably secured to the table 16 by hand Cil loe-ated centrally clainpg 2() whose anchored bolts 2l pass through elongated slots 22 provided in'the sled or carriage 19.

On the end ot' the sled or carriage 19 ad- `iacent the annulns holder.r brackets 23 are secured in suitable spaced relation and in these brackets the suitably lixcd. Adjacent tbe brackets rollers 25 ot a diameter slightly greater than the contiguousI ends ot the brackets 23 are mounted. The rod 24 be bent in any shape desired, preferably however as shown to substantially follow the outline of a tire in. cross section. While the rod 24 may be supported in any suitable position relative to the tire, it is preferable to incline it slightly to the horizontales shown in order to facilitate lateral sliii'ting'ot' the stitching` tool 26 which is loosely fulcrumed thereon as indicated at 27. From the inclination of the bent rod Q4 derived a self-feeding action of the roller or stitcher which mounted on the. dependingv bent end Q9 of the hand lover.- As rotation of the tire in the direction indicated by the arrow in 2 necessarily rotates the stitching; roller in the opposite direction, the roller is eanted and tends to Work itseliC 'from the, center lo the .-'de oit' the tire when and alter the tool is initially shifted from its exact central position, Thusystitchinzg rit-tbe thread to the carcass is facilitated and the rollers tracks ironed out or obliterifitod.

ln the "use of the apparatus of the present inventioma. carcass on a core or drum as the" ease may be, is mountedon 'the chuck or annulus holder l, and the swi'veled member 3 adjusted. to bring the tire i'nto any desired' position, the ratchet l2 having its notches suitably spaced and located for that purpose. A breaker strip (not shown) may then be applied to the outer circumference oi? the tire and rolled down by hand, these strips being' thin and easily flexed. The endless tread in the'form ofa band is then on thesearcass. l/Vith the tire. ina vertical plane the sled or carriage 19;. which during the previously mentioned Iopcn'ations has been in an unobstructive retractedposition. is then brought to sub 'stantially the position shown in Fig. l and secured. The lever 2G with its roller 28 in the central vertical plane of the tire is tlicn operated to progressively stitch the tread to the carcass, the arms of the lever ends of a bent rod 2l are corporation' in recaen? being proportioned to enable the operatorv to exert plenty ot pressure to secure the desired degree of adhesion. After the roller `o`r stitcher has been shifted slightly to eitlier'side ot its central position, the in the rollers 9X5 which project beyond the brackets 23. These rollers prevent mari-ing; oi the tread stock. which would otherwise drag against the contiguous stationary portions of the bracket. When the thick portions ot the tread have been stitched down, the sled or carriage it' desired may then be retracted and the margins of the tread stitched with a. hand tool, the tire being' rotated either in a vertical plane or in a horizontal plane, or in any position that the vghim of the operative may dictate, it being understood that the margins or skirts of. the tread are thin and flexible enough to permit of stitching by the ordinary hand tool. Subsequent 'finishing operation may then be performed7 such applying a stripe of rubber of contrasting co or. llo removal and renunlntine' of the tire one separate machine is necessary.

rThe construction is exceedingly simple but effective for eecting proper adhesion of the tread to the carcass. rlhe operative can not only do the work right but rapidly and with ease. lllhile intended for application ol. treads it may be advantaeeously used for stitching pocketsH o'l tivo or more plies et' fabric united tog-ether betere inthe carcass that is formed en vthe `core or drum. The foregoing' relates to a preferred constructiom but itis not. intended to limit the invention to details thereof, and reference should be made to the definitions of the scope of the .invention made in the appended claims. For vinstance itv is obviously immaterial Whether the lever 26 be apertured intermediate its edges or notched in its underside to seat on the fulcrum tor ready demounting.

Having thus described my invention, what l' claim and desire to protect by Letters Patent is:

l. Tire-building apparatus including an annulus holder adapted to support a tire mounted on a circular member1 means for supporting and rotating the annulus holder, in combination with a tread applying mechanism including a roller, a lever :arrying said roller, and a fulcrum member lever spaced from the tire on the annulus holder, said lever being shiftable on said Jfor saidmesas? fulcrum member to permit progressive pressing ot a tread to acarcass. y n

2. Tire building apparatus including an annulus holder adapted to support a tire. mounted on a circular member, supporting and rotating the annuluS holder, in combination with a tread applyingT mechanism including a roller. a lever carrying said roller, and aiulcrum member for said lever spaced from the tire on the annulus holder` said lever being shittable on said fulcrum member to permit progressive pressingr oi" a tread to a carcass, and said fulerum being shaped to cant the roller to the plane of revolution of the. annulus holder' during a pressing-on operation.

3. Tire stitching apparatus Aincluding a lever, a roller supported at one end of said lever, the other end of said lever being manually operable, a semi-circular suppprt for said lever inlein'iediate its ends and shaped to facilitate manual bodily lateral movement of the lever and roller .airied thereby.

4. 'l`i1'e stitching apparatus including` a i'ulcrum and a' laterally movable roller presser supported by said fulcrum and having a selffeedingr action tendinpr to shift it from the center to the sides of a tread being applied.

5. rfread applying mechanism including a roller, a hand lever carrying the roller at one end, a rod on which said lever is loosely pivoted intermediate its ends, said rod being bent. similar to the tread portion of a tirels outline. i p

6.- Tread applying mechanism including a roller, a lever carrying said roller, a ful-il crum member for said lover, said lever being shilitable on said fulcrum member to permit progressive pressing of a tread to a carcass, and anti-friction devices adjacent the ends of the fulcrum member for preventing mutilation of the tread.

7; Tread applying mechanism including means for ,pivotcd intermediate its ends,

a roller, a lever carrying said roller, a fulcrum member for said lever, said lever being shiftable on said lfulcrum member to permit progressive pressing of a. tread to a carcass, and rolls on opposite ends of said ulcrum member for preventing mutilation of the skirts of the tread.

8. Tread applying mechanism including a roller. a lever carrying said roller, a ful-- crum member for said lever, said lever being shiftable on saidfuleruin memberto permit progressive pressing of a tread to a carcass, and means supporting the fulcrum member at opposite sides ot' and spaced from the 9. Tread a i )lvinff mechanism includin 2- a roller, ashand lever carrying the roller at one end, a rod on which said lever is loosely bent similar to the tread portion of a tires outline, and lying substantially in a plane inclined to the horizontal.

10. 'lread applying mechanism including a roller, a hand lever carrying the roller at one end` a rod on which said lever is loosely pivoted intermediate its ends, said rod being bent similar to the tread portion oi' 'a tires outline, and lying'substantially in a plane inclined to the horizontal` and a shiftahle support for the rod.

1l. Tread applying` mechanism` including in combination, a roller presser. a bell crank lever supporting the presser at one end, a, fulcrum member for said lever adjacent its crutch and inclined to-the horizontal` a shift.- able carriage for said fiilcruni member, and means flanking the presser for preventing the margins of a tread from being marred. Signed at New York, county of New York, and State of NewA York, this 7th day of December, 1920.

HENRY ii. GiLsoN.

said rod beingv 

